Tamers: Contracts
by Moon Knight Apprentice
Summary: My name is Rika Nonaka, some people call me a contractor. I'm a mercenary, a dying trade, but I'm the best in the game. That's why people come to me, I get the job done. No matter what. (Rated for language)


Contracts  
By Ryan Bodle  
Prologue

A/N: This story is told in a mix of first and third person perspective. The story itself is third person whilst the main character narrates. The narrations are done in italic, so heads up. And, oh yeah, please review!

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_It's not a difficult choice when it comes to my line of work. You either do it or you don't, there's no maybes, maybe gets you dead. This day is no different. I've got a package to deliver, some people could leave this to any regular courier, but nobody gets the job done like I do._  
  
She pulled her collar up high to stop the breeze around her neck. The night was colder than usual. It bit at the skin and turned her breath to cloud instantly. Her heels clicked against the stone beneath. Stiletto shoes were highlighted by the street lamps at intervals as she stepped from spotlight to spotlight. The hard echoes covered the sounds of her shadow, a man stalking her.  
  
Her dress code was serious down to the last detail. A femme fatale of the business world. Her suit was black and custom tailored. It demanded respect. Her heels seemed unlikely, but just like the rest of her, the only added to a domineering figure. A beige jacket was  
wrapped around her in the sub zero climate. Finally, most of all, she carried a briefcase.  
  
For anybody who was watching her with good reason, this was the centre of attention, or rather its contents.  
  
_It's a constant deadly game of cat and mouse in this business. Some people would like to think it's gotten more glamorous. I don't know the old days, but from what I've heard, only the names change._  
  
She rounded a corner hastily as the shadow started to catch up. She knew she was being followed now and looked for sanctuary. The shadow, knowing its game was up gave chase at a full sprint. The street lights began to run out as the business woman struggled to run in her shoes.  
  
Being barely two steps away from here, the shadow was revealed in full, a woman herself, she drew a knife from its sheath.  
  
_They say rule one is don't be the mouse._  
  
The shadow grabbed the business woman and threw her roughly into an alley. Quickly covering her mouth to stop her from screaming. Just then a spectre of light shone across the business woman's face. It revealed jade eye shadow and deep brown eyes, the skin revealing a lady of Japanese descent.  
  
The shadow held knife to throat and growled menacingly into her ear. "Just give us the case and you won't get hurt."  
  
_My rule one is, the mouse can always bite back_.  
  
The businesswoman lunged her head back, connecting with the nose of her assailant and giving her some breathing space. She then followed with a swift elbow to the temple. She wrestled with the knife hand, twisting at the wrist to force the assailant to drop it. The blade clattered on the stone floor.  
  
The Japanese girl turned round and thrust a knee to the sternum of her opponent, knocking the wind from her then threw her to the floor. The shadow gasped for hair and spat blood at the same time. The victor stood over her, discarding her jacket for now. She removed an object from each inner pocket and combined them.  
  
She now stood over the other, pistol complete with silencer aimed downwards.  
  
_I could have avoided this. I didn't need to walk the streets, this could have been nice and clean, safe. But my employer would like to know who's so desperate to get their hands on his merchandise. This of course is a bonus to the job. Bonuses are heavily paid for._  
  
"Who's your boss?" a steely voice asked from the Japanese woman. The shadow looked up defiantly.  
  
"Fuck you!"  
  
A bullet responded into the thigh of the shadow, she squirmed but refused to show how much it really hurt.  
  
_Interrogation was never my forte._  
  
"The next one's got your name written on it, no more chances," she said. "Now who's your boss."  
  
The woman on the floor just squirmed more, refusing to answer. The hammer on the pistol was drawn back into place.  
  
"I don't know!" the shadow said eventually. "I dealt with nobody directly, cash paid upfront!"  
  
_This excuse is common._  
  
"Wrong answer."  
  
"Truth!" The woman screamed ripping at her inner garments to pull out a brown envelope. A consignment.  
  
_So she wasn't lying, to be honest I watched this girl approach me all the way, she was good, probably had it in her to be the best. But she was still a girl, she didn't belong here, and she didn't deserve this._  
  
The Japanese woman withdrew her aim and hid her gun. "Go home." She muttered before picking up her belongings and snatching the envelope. Within seconds she was gone, leaving her would be assailant with a bloody mouth and bullet wound in the leg, but very much alive.  
  
_My name is Rika Nonaka, some people call me a contractor. I'm a mercenary, a dying trade, but I'm the best in the game. That's why people come to me, I get the job done. No matter what._  
  
It had taken all but another eight minutes and forty-three seconds to reach the refuge of the Hilton Hotel, Paris. She was in sight of public, no longer at risk of further interruptions. It was a risk letting the shadow catch her, by all means the shadow could have been bait to lure her out into a trap. But it was a risk worth taking. This time it didn't pay off, but sooner or later it usually did. 

Her heels echoed louder than ever on the crisp marble floor. The high ceiling was made to push the sound ever onwards and louder. There was a rhythmic pattern to her strides, as if she had taken everything into account. How many paces to her destination within the hotel. Her loud steps stopped for a beat as she crossed a Windsor treated carpet, a couple of meters wide, before reaching the marble floor again.  
  
She made her way into the hotel bar. A luxurious establishment within itself. A hideaway for millionaires and celebrities. She checked her watch. Thirteen minutes early. 'Damn I'm good,' she smirked to herself. As she strode up to the bar itself. The well kempt barman regarded sceptically as he made sure his bar was in top condition. No customers tonight.  
  
"A club soda please," she said nonchalantly. He hesitated before she provided a laminated card from her purse. "And add it to Mr. Matsunami's tab."  
  
He gave the card a glance and nodded graciously before retrieving her drink. She sat on a bar stool and faced the lounging area. There were few people in the place, casually enjoying company of one or two others. Small groups dotted around the place.  
  
The bar was decorated an emerald green with mahogany wood finish, soothing and inviting. It's pillars made from stone, yet polished to look like marble, painted mahogany and gold. It almost told people to come in and relax, enjoy its radiance. Amber lights gave a gentle light and ambience to the walls that were painted a very light cream colour.  
  
She panned across the room, fifteen people at maximum. Another twelve in the lobby excluding staff. She hadn't managed to count all of them but she warranted there'd be two desk staff, at least one concierge and four door staff on the floor. Then in the staff area there would be back up security watching the whole place and six, at maximum, general hotel staff. Bell boys, maids or something else. This would just be the ground floor. It was the late night shift after all.  
  
She counted two fire exits besides the front door. A fire tonight would be ominous and she wouldn't want to be standing outside like a sitting duck. A staff area would be far more acceptable. She noted four cameras from where she was sitting, watching in every direction. There would no doubt be more around the pillars she couldn't see behind.  
  
That only left the people watching her. Four in all. Two men sat by the main entrance and exit. In a worst case scenario, she figured they'd cut off her escape. Or her employers. The barman was still looking at her and making too much of a job to make it look like he was ignoring her and the desk staff lady kept glancing from her register to across the bar. She was being watched, that's for sure. The question was, were they Matsunami's people? She pinned him as being that stupid, but scared enough to hire more protection? Not likely, Matsunami didn't scare easily. This looked to be harder than originally planned.  
  
Eventually, Matsunami appeared from the main stairwell, he tugged at the cuff of a very expensive suit in a proud way, checked his solid gold watch and swayed arrogantly into the bar area. He immediately sat by Rika.  
  
"Miss Bee, it is good to see you."  
  
_Ok, that may confuse you. My codename is Queen Bee in this industry, stupid name maybe. But in all honesty, nobody gives a crap what your real name is._  
  
"Mr. Matsunami, you're early," she replied somewhat impressed.  
  
"And you even more so, I take it you everything ran smoothly and you merely over-compensated for difficulties. Perhaps you're being too cautious," he smirked.  
  
_This is a direct insult. We take everything into consideration and usually have every step planned perfectly to the second. Being too cautious, they say, is a sign you're getting past your own game._  
  
Rika scolded. "Not likely, your opponent is smart for waiting until we complete business and part ways."  
  
_Right back at him, I can insinuate that whoever is trying to steal the chips would much rather risk confronting him than me. I shouldn't have to explain why. Bottom line, don't show weakness, and certainly don't let anybody get the better of you in these situations._  
  
Matsunami looked around him and over his shoulders. Rika almost smacked a hand to her forehead. He couldn't have got anymore obvious. "Lets just conclude our deal." She walked away from the bar and into the lounge area, finding a secreted booth. She sat amorously on the padded seat as Matsunami sat opposite her.  
  
"So how do we go about transacting?" Matsunami asked. Rika looked just to her side, almost over her shoulder as if not care what he said.  
  
"Well you give me the agreed money and I give you the computer chips," she answered bluntly.  
  
"I mean how do we exchange?"  
  
"Just give me your case and I'll give you mine, secrecy is lost at this point," she placed her briefcase on the table and pushed it to him. He reluctantly followed suit.  
  
"If that's the case, perhaps you wouldn't mind following up the job," he added. Rika turned to face him seriously. "I'll pay you the same again and all expenses to oversee myself and the chips transported safely to our base office in Shinjuku."  
  
Rika just barely managed to stop her eyes from snapping open. She waited for a few seconds. "I don't think so."  
  
Matsunami was both surprised and disappointed.  
  
"Whatever happens from here on in, you've brought on yourself and I can't stop it. Goodbye."  
  
"You'd turn down a contract?"  
  
_He's trying to get to me again. Turning down a job for the right money is another sign you're slipping._  
  
Rika turned and glared at him. "Regardless of what you say Mr Matsunami, this hotel is employed by your enemy, my advice is pack and leave with your own monkeys tonight. But one thing's for sure, you're not dragging me down with you."  
  
She turned on her heel and left the bar area.

Contract closed.


End file.
